It feels really wrong to say that Javy can't speak or Javy is nonverbal. I'm just not at peace with that expression. But when people ask me what Javy's diagnosis is, my response is generally, "Well, he's undiagnosed. He just doesn't walk or talk." It's the simplest way to put it, but it's not accurate.
I just don't see him that way. As his mother, I know what he wants. I can follow his facial expression and his eye gazes. I can decipher his words, and I do believe that he says words. I hear him utter "mom", "night", and I even found myself responding to some of his sounds tonight with, "I love you, too". I truly believe that was what he was saying, because I had just gotten through singing the "I love Javy and Javy loves mommy" song. I see him as a bright, capable, understanding boy. I even forget sometimes that he even has issues, like when I take him for a cruise in the truck, with his baseball cap on and the windows down and he's just giggling the whole time. But sometimes, I think that we just live in our own little world.
I kind of got a reality check whenever I went with Javy's 3rd grade class up to The Koke'e Discovery Center. I watched how the kids looked at Javy when he was eating or drooling all over himself. Or when he'd laugh hysterically for no apparent reason. But the kids are so good with Javy. They were interested in making sure that Javy got to participate in what they did and were worried about him when he took a spill in his wheelchair. Those are going to be his classmates for the rest of his public school career and I hope that they will get to spend enough time with him to see what I see. Because it's fun living in Javy's world.
I just don't see him that way. As his mother, I know what he wants. I can follow his facial expression and his eye gazes. I can decipher his words, and I do believe that he says words. I hear him utter "mom", "night", and I even found myself responding to some of his sounds tonight with, "I love you, too". I truly believe that was what he was saying, because I had just gotten through singing the "I love Javy and Javy loves mommy" song. I see him as a bright, capable, understanding boy. I even forget sometimes that he even has issues, like when I take him for a cruise in the truck, with his baseball cap on and the windows down and he's just giggling the whole time. But sometimes, I think that we just live in our own little world.
I kind of got a reality check whenever I went with Javy's 3rd grade class up to The Koke'e Discovery Center. I watched how the kids looked at Javy when he was eating or drooling all over himself. Or when he'd laugh hysterically for no apparent reason. But the kids are so good with Javy. They were interested in making sure that Javy got to participate in what they did and were worried about him when he took a spill in his wheelchair. Those are going to be his classmates for the rest of his public school career and I hope that they will get to spend enough time with him to see what I see. Because it's fun living in Javy's world.
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